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NFL Dance Moves Inspire Students

Chicago Bear Corey Wootton gets students excited about staying active

October 31, 2013

At an event to promote physical fitness, Kinzie Elementary School students challenged Chicago Bear Corey Wootton to show off a set of moves not seen on the football field.

Wootton visited Kinzie to kick off “Make Your Move” – the newest fitness campaign from Fuel Up To Play 60, a national program that empowers students to get active for 60 minutes per day. Created by the NFL, the National Dairy Council and the Midwest Dairy Council, this project inspires physical activity among children while encouraging them to “fuel up” with healthy foods like low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese.

“Moving for 60 minutes a day can be easy and fun,” said Mario Silva, a PE teacher at Kinzie and a program advisor for Fuel Up To Play 60. “This program combines the excitement of the NFL with challenges, prizes and rewards that inspire kids to get active and eat right.”

The “Make Your Move” campaign offers creative ways to add physical activity to a day, including dance. During his visit to Kinzie, Wootton debuted a video where he and fellow NFL players held a dance-off with Fuel Up To Play 60 student ambassadors to see who had the best dance moves. One such ambassador was Taylor Healy, a 7th-grader at Kinzie Elementary.

“Some of the most exciting parts of the Fuel Up To Play 60 Program are the campaigns that give kids the chance to work together to get healthy while also having fun,” said Taylor.

After being charged up by the NFL video, the student audience from Kinzie cheered as its own dance team performed a number specifically choreographed for celebrity guest Wootton. Wootton joined in and learned the routine, then got the entire crowd on their feet for a group dance.

In addition to showing off his dance moves, the Bear’s Defensive End fielded questions about his life and career and spoke to students about the importance of staying active, especially while at school.

“Growing up, I played sports with my friends and classmates during and after school,” he said. “Now that I’m a professional athlete, I can say that school was one of the first places I learned how being active can lead to success on and off the field.”

To conclude the ceremony, Wootton presented Kinzie principal Dawn Orlando with an autographed NFL football to be displayed in the school’s trophy case.

“We were so excited to host Chicago Bear Corey Wootton and this entire event,” said Principal Orlando. “It was a great opportunity to get our students excited about being active and staying healthy.”

Fuel up to Play 60 is funded by America’s dairy farmers in collaboration with the USDA. The campaign has several local partners in Illinois, among them the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD).

“Our purposes include cooperating with other professional groups having similar interests for the development of quality programs,” said Holly Gansz, who represented IAHPERD at the Kinzie event. “We know that active kids do better in school. Integrating physical activity into the school day helps kids learn, focus and grow. That’s why we encourage everyone to get moving.”

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Chicago Public Schools is the third largest school district in the United States with more than 600 schools providing education to approximately 400,000 children. Our vision is that every student in every neighborhood will be engaged in a rigorous, well-rounded instructional program and will graduate prepared for success in college, career and life.